


Aftermath

by spowell Days End series (SPowell)



Series: Day's End [15]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, small injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-12 15:22:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2114919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SPowell/pseuds/spowell%20Days%20End%20series
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to BBC, Shine, and legend. I make no profit from this endeavor. It is strictly for entertainment purposes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> I cleaned up that last post a bit. Sorry about the errors. I also added a line that matters a bit, imo. The point where Arthur begins to have had enough.  
> Thanks for the lovely comments! Everyone seems to have enjoyed Arthur telling Uther to stick it. I know I did.

“Arthur, it’s okay. Let me drive.”

They both get out of the car. It’s pouring rain, and Arthur’s pulled the BMW under an overpass. Sheets of wind-blown water hit the pavement, slowing traffic for miles.

“I can’t believe this,” Arthur says when he reaches the passenger side of the car. Merlin leans in and switches the flashers on.

“I was actually stupid enough to believe that my father might want to get along, to bury the hatchet,” Arthur's hands clench at his sides. “I thought that lunch was an olive branch.” He laughs bitterly. “I told you as much. Hell, I practically seduced you into coming to this fucking lunch, and what does the man do? He tries to _pay us off!_ ” Arthur’s practically shaking with rage. Merlin has never seen him so upset, and it’s worrying.

“Have you ever heard of a father trying to pay his son off, Merlin? Trying to take away the one happiness he has in his life?” The look in Arthur’s eyes makes Merlin wish he could make it all better. “Isn’t one’s father supposed to want you to be happy?”

Slowly, Merlin shrugs. “I wouldn’t know; I don’t have a father. But, yeah. I think that’s a reasonable assumption.”

“And after all he’s put you through,” Arthur continues, face growing redder, “rather than go out of his way to be nice today, he just insults you!” With a growl that comes from deep within, Arthur turns and slams his fist into the solid concrete wall behind him.

“Arthur!” Merlin hastens to Arthur’s side where he’s curled in on himself. “Christ, did you break your hand?”

Tears roll down Arthur’s cheeks, but Merlin doesn’t think he’s even feeling the pain in his hand.

“Just for once, I would have liked to have a normal family meal.”

Merlin wraps Arthur in his arms, kissing his temple, tasting the rain. “We'll have lots of normal family meals, I promise. I’m so proud of you, Arthur.”

Merlin coaxes Arthur back into the car and the car back into traffic, driving straight for the A&E. Leon rings him when Arthur's getting his hand wrapped. Merlin steps outside the doors to the A&E to take the call.

“Where are you two? We’re standing outside Arthur’s apartment.”

“Go on in,” Merlin tells him, knowing they have the spare key. “Arthur punched a cement wall and broke his hand. We’ll be home shortly. Arthur’s not doing very well, and it’d be good for you to be there.”

"Holy, shit! Poor sod. We'll be here."

By the time they arrive, Morgana’s got something delicious cooking and The National playing on the cd player. Leon’s in his stocking feet and reading the newspaper. He looks up, tossing the paper onto the coffee table.

“All right, Arthur?”

“I’m good,” Arthur gives Leon a loopy smile, and Leon looks at Merlin questioningly.

“The doctor gave him something to calm him down,” Merlin explains, helping Arthur to sit on the sofa. Arthur holds his wrapped hand up gingerly.

“I hurt my hand.”

“I see that,” Leon says.

“Oh, Arthur,” Morgana crosses the room to sit beside him and hug him. “I’m so sorry.”

“S’okay. Doesn’t hurt right now.”

“I mean about Uncle. He was horrible today.”

Arthur frowns and looks away.

“Let’s keep conversation light for a while, shall we?” Merlin suggests. He’s not surprised he’s a little hungry, not having eaten all that much at Uther’s. “What smells so good?”

“A casserole,” Morgana replies. They chat a moment about the rain and traffic.

“Merlin, I’m sorry for…” she glances at Arthur, who’s settled back on the pillows and closed his eyes, “telling Uther our news today. It just didn’t fully click what a rotten idea it was until it was already done. I did try to call to tell you two first, by the way.”

“I thought you might have,” Merlin says. “No worries. Uther would have made the day excruciating one way or another, and we’re very pleased about your good news.”

Since Arthur’s fallen into a doze, the three eat and chat in low tones so as not to wake him. Merlin’s miserable. He’d badly misjudged Arthur and what he was willing to give up for Merlin, and now Arthur is suffering and Merlin feels inadequate to help him.

“Merlin, what’s wrong?” Morgana asks. “Would you like us to leave?”

Merlin shakes his head. “No, I’d actually like you to stay a while, if you don’t mind. I’m just going to slip in here beside Arthur. Make yourselves at home. That was a delicious meal, thanks.” He lies down by Arthur on the sofa, cradling Arthur’s head on his chest. Just the weight of Arthur against him makes Merlin feel a bit better.

The rain beats on the window pane and Merlin listens to it along with the soft sounds of Morgana moving about and Leon rustling the paper, the cd still playing in the background.

“Merlin, Gwen’s just texted you.” Morgana walks in from the kitchen, Merlin’s mobile he’d left on the foyer table with his keys in hand.

“Could you text her back for me?” Merlin asks softly. “Just tell her I’ll talk to her later.”

Merlin closes his eyes and before he knows it, falls asleep.

He’s awakened by more voices in the flat. Arthur stirs, but remains out of it. Merlin opens his eyes, blinking.

Gwen and Lance sit on the floor nearby eating Morgana’s casserole and  _I am Legend_ is on the telly, Will Smith hanging upside down in a trap. Leon still sits at the other end of the long sofa, and Morgana’s curled up next to him, filing her nails.

“When did you two get here?” Merlin asks Gwen groggily.

“About thirty minutes ago,” Gwen answers. “Morgana asked us to come. You two looked so cute sleeping, we didn't want to wake you.”

Merlin peers down at the top of Arthur’s blond head, broken hand wrapped in white resting just below Merlin’s ribcage. “He’s had a bad day.”

“We heard,” Gwen says. “I’m so sorry.”

“I just thought you could use more friends,” Morgana tells him. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“He’d better not mind, right Lance?” Gwen says, and Merlin laughs.

“I’m glad you're here. Morgana, what happened at Uther’s after we left?” Merlin asks.

“Uther threw a fit, but we didn’t stay long to hear it. I already had my bag by the time he came back inside. I told him I thought he treated you two terribly. He didn’t appreciate it.” She looks at Leon.

“I might be looking for another job,” Leon says.

“No! Don’t let us ruin things at work for you,” Merlin objects. “You have a baby to think about now.”

“If I don’t do it, I’ll be under his thumb forever.”

Morgana nods and rests her head against Leon’s. “I feel the same way. It’s too stressful. You see how Uther is about work—he’s not going to want me to take any time off.”

“He sounds simply awful,” Gwen says. “How did Arthur turn out so well?”

Merlin presses a kiss to Arthur’s head, and Arthur murmurs in his sleep, trying to tighten his hold around Merlin, but unable to with his hurt hand.

“I was so proud of Arthur today,” Merlin runs his fingers through Arthur’s hair.

“Me, too,” Morgana says.

“I feel like shite for ever thinking he would take his father’s side over mine.”

“We both underestimated him,” Leon says. “I thought all those years of ingrained behaviour would win out.”

“Not over love,” Gwen reaches over and pats Merlin’s hand, and he smiles.

Arthur stirs. “Merlin?”

“Right here,” Merlin says. “I’m your pillow.”

“I feel…weird.”

“The doctor gave you something to relax you. And for pain. You hurt your hand.”

Arthur looks at his hand like he doesn’t recognize it. Then his eyes fall on Gwen, head just a foot away where she sits on the floor.

“Hi, Arthur,” she says.

“Hi.” He blinks several times. "Gwen."

“You’ve had a bad day, I hear.” She makes a sad mouth, and Arthur duplicates it, lower lip sticking out. His eyes fill, and Gwen draws in a breath. “Oh! I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to upset him!”

Merlin curls his arms around Arthur. “He’s just not himself. Don’t worry about it.”

Arthur’s a warm weight on Merlin’s side, and Merlin wants to stay like this forever. Arthur's impossibly cuddly on the drugs like he is, and Merlin feels a surge of protectiveness. He pulls Arthur tighter to him until Arthur lets out a grunt of protest.

"Not your teddy, _Mer_ lin," he says, and Merlin laughs, releasing him.

When their friends leave, it’s dark outside and Arthur’s mind’s a little clearer.

“I can’t believe I did this to my hand,” Arthur says, taking off the plastic bag he used in the shower while Merlin soaped him up.

“You were understandably angry,” Merlin palms the side of Arthur’s face and pulls him in for a kiss. “I love you, Arthur. You were great today at lunch.”

Arthur colours. “I shouldn’t have asked you. I should have known how it would go; you knew. Hell, Morgana and Leon knew. They had a whole act worked out to keep Father occupied through the meal."

"You noticed that, too, did you?" Merlin says. He sighs.

“It isn’t wrong to hope for the best,” Merlin tells Arthur. “Your father obviously isn’t going to give us his blessing about our marriage. We’ll just have to accept that.”

“I don’t want to see him again,” Arthur says. “I don’t like the way he treats you. I meant it when I told him I was turning in my resignation, too.”

“Okay,” Merlin smiles. “That sounds great to me.”

“In fact,” Arthur says as he gingerly pulls on his pyjama bottoms, being careful of his broken hand. “I’m thinking about speaking with Leon about starting our own company. It will be a risk, and the money won’t be good for a while. I might even have to help Leon a bit financially with the baby coming.”

Excitement and pride curl in Merlin’s gut. “God, you turn me on,” he grabs Arthur and kisses him. “You beautiful, beautiful, man.”

Arthur laughs. “Well, I’m glad you approve, Merlin.”

“I more than approve.” Merlin drops to his knees and tugs at Arthur's pyjama pants. When he has Arthur in his mouth, freshly clean cock still soft and vulnerable, he does his enthusiastic best to worship him with tongue and lips until Arthur's getting hard and moaning loudly, tugging at Merlin’s hair. Merlin swallows again and again as Arthur ejaculates, cock not fully hard.

Lying in the darkness of Arthur’s bedroom, Merlin takes up his mobile, opening the clock app. “I’m going to have to set the alarm for five-thirty. I don’t have anything here to wear to work tomorrow.”

Arthur nuzzles under Merlin’s arm. “I’ll definitely have to get rid of this flat. I won’t be able to afford it.”

“We were going to do that anyway.”

“I’d hoped to change your mind,” Arthur admits, kissing Merlin’s ribcage.

Merlin chuckles. “You wouldn’t have been able to. This just expedites things.”

“Mmm,” Arthur murmurs, falling asleep. “Love you, Merlin.”

Merlin kisses Arthur’s head. "Love you more."

"Not more." Arthur begins to snore.


End file.
